Apple’s New 3D Scanner Exclusive To 2020 iPhone Pro Models Only

The new iPhone X is pictured at the Apple Store Marche Saint-Germain in Paris, France.
REUTERS/Benoit Tessier

A quick look at the iOS 14 code reveals that only the upcoming iPhone 12 “Pro” models will be equipped with a sensor that allows for improved 3D capabilities, a report says.

Previousreports indicated that Apple's upcoming iPhone lineup will surpass the current iPhone 11 series in many ways. One of these is by introducing an upgraded camera setup that will include a Time-of-Flight sensor for better 3D capabilities.

A new report from 9To5Mac reveals that indeed, ToF sensors will be placed on the new iPhone models. There's a catch, however – the site reported that not all iPhone 12 series handsets will have it.

Evidence hidden inside the iOS 14 code reveals that new iPhone models are coming this year. The new handsets are given the codename “d5x,” indicating that they are successors to the current iPhone 11 series models, which were codenamed “d4x.”

Only two “d5x” models are said to be listed with “built-in time-of-flight sensor,” which leads the site to believe that these are the “iPhone 12 Pro” and “iPhone 12 Pro Max.”

The new handsets are believed to feature a new camera setup that will perform better compared to the acclaimedcamera setup found on the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max. The setup on the iPhone 12 will include an ultra-wide lens, a wide angle lens, a telephoto lens and the ToF sensor.

This ToF sensor is expected to feature an infrared projector similar to the one on the iPhone's TrueDepth camera, which is used for Face ID and is found only on the iPhone X and newer models. It will use a laser to determine the distance between the device and the surfaces or objects in a room, and is seen to enhance the iPhone's abilities for augmented reality purposes.

Previous reports indicated that the ToF sensor will allow the upcoming iPhones to acquire real-time 3D depth data that will be used for accurate room mapping, distinguishing and tracking the movements of objects in rooms, and more accurate 3D rendering.

The feature will allow iPhone 12 Pro model users to maximize ARKit 3's features, which include motion capture and people occlusion. It will also allow the new iPhone 12 Pro models to produce even more stunning photos compared to the iPhone 11 Pro models.